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All Eyez On Me Reviewed By Clayton Barnett

Tells the true and untold story of prolific rapper,
actor, poet and activist Tupac Shakur. The film follows Shakur from his early
days in New York City to his evolution into being one of the world's most
recognized and influential voices before his untimely death at the age of 25.
Against all odds, Shakur's raw talent, powerful lyrics and revolutionary
mind-set propelled him into becoming a cultural icon whose legacy continues to
grow long after his passing.

The Review

Two years ago F. Gary Grey’s Straight Outta Compton blew everyone
away with the story of N.W.A.’s rise to infamy, and after hearing a Tupac
biopic was in the works I was eager in anticipation.

Six years after he was stacking
shelves at Target Demetrius Shipp Jr. makes his acting debut as Tupac, and by
god you’d think it was Tupac himself up on screen. For his first outing
Demetrius puts in a spirited and powerful performance.

Like Straight Outta Compton I came in cold on this, knowing only a few
songs and his tragic demise. But just like N.W.A.’s revelatory story Tupac’s
tale is just as educational as it is emotional.

His mother’s Black Power roots, his
love of Shakespeare, his friendship with Jada Pinkett-Smith amongst all the
headlines is compelling stuff, but just overwhelming in the two hours twenty minutes running time.
Music video director Benny Boom rushes through Tupac’s early years, when more time
learning his rhymes might have made for a better picture.

But you’re here for the music and
it’s electric, the concert scenes are worth admission alone. For someone only 25 when he died, he made a
ton of epic tracks that drop one after the other during the film, and when California
Love hits it’s goosebump-inducing stuff.

The Verdict

While it might not hit the heights
of the more story-cohesive Straight
Outta Compton, this straightforward biopic is still a raw and compelling
look at the tragic life of a talent gone before his time.

Demetrius Shipp Jr.'s father produced "Toss It
Up" for Tupac Shakurs "The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory"
album.

Jamal Woolard also portrayed The Notorious B.I.G. in
Notorious (2009).

John Singleton was originally attached to direct the
film, but the studio and Singleton couldn't agree on how Tupac was to be
portrayed in the film. Singleton eventually left the project completely but has
since stated that he still hopes to make his own film about Tupac on his own
terms some day. He was also the only director to have Afeni Shakur's full
blessing to tell her son's story.